Pneumatic pumping apparatus for vacuum-cleaners.



J. W. SMITH.

PNEUMATIC PUMPING APPARATUS FOR. VACUUM CLEANERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, 1909.

1,031, 1 5 1 Patented July 2, 1912.

2 8HEBT8-SHEET L.

WITNESSES WENT ATIDRIIE J. W. SMITH.

PNEUMATIC PUMPING APPARATUS FOR VACUUM CLEANERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, 1900.

1,031,151 Patented July 2,1912.

2 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

Lllllmn [IIII III" M 63 34 35 V 23 80 A 3/ v T m WITNESSES VENTUR J 0 W.7 BY pumping JOHN W. SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATIC PUMPING APPARATUS FOR VACUUM-CLEANERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1912.

Application filed May 15, 1909. Serial No. 496,254.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. SMrrH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, haveinvented anew and useful Pneumatic Pumping Apparatus for Vacuum-Cleaners, ofnvhich the following is a specification.

' My invention consists of a novel construction of'a pneumatic pumpingapparatus which is specially designed to be employed in conjunction withvacuum cleaners, preferably of the portable type such as are employed inconjunction with an electric or other motor. q It is-desirable in vacuumcleaners to roduce a device which is as compact an as light in weightasis possible without decreasing the eflieiency, and to arrange thevarious parts in such a manner that the operating mechanism is notliable to injury -by anyone meddling therewith, and to the above ends Iemploy in my present device a pump unit wherein the motor and the pumpare directly connected so that the same are inserted into and removedfrom the pump casing as a concrete unitary structure.

My invention further consists of a novel construction of a pump unitwherein the casing in which is located the pulsation chamber isdireetlyconnected with the motor casing, the movable member of themechanism being operatively connected vwith the motor shaft, and thecasing of the pulsation chamber being provided with a suitable handlewhereby the pump unit is rendered readily transportable, and whereby thesame may be readily and quickly assembled or disassembled with respectto the pump casing.

It further consists of a novel construction of a pneumatic pumpingapparatus wherein the casing is provided with suitable contacts on whichare supported the contacts carried by the pump unit when the latter isinserted within the pump casing, said pump unit being removably securedwithin the pump casing.

It further consists of a novel construction of a pumping apparatuswherein the pump unit forms the sole means of separating the casing intoa vacuum reservoir and a pressure reservoir, and wherein the motorcarried by the pump unit is directly connected with the movable memberof'the pump.

In a co-pending application for portable pneumatic pumping apparatus,Serial No. 435,633, filed May 29, 1908, I have described and broadlyclaimed a novel construction of a pump and in my present device it isthe pump unit which forms the sole means of dividing the easing into avacuum reservoir and a pressure reservoir, the pump being provided in asimilar manner with an enlarged chamber whereby the pressure within thevacuum and pressure reservoirs will automatically vary In accordancewith the load at the suction nozzle so that any kind of a relief valveis unnecessarv and there is no danger of the motor of the pump unitbeing overloaded with consequent injury to the motor.

My invention further consists of a novel construction of a pneumaticpumping apparatus wherein a pump unit, consisting of a pulsation chamberand a motor directly connected with the pumping member of the pump unit,is inserted within a pump cas-- ing, the pulsation chamber beingprovided with an inlet valve at one end while the opposite end thereofis closed by the movable member of the pump, which is also provided witha valve controlled port, the outer valve having mounted thereabove avalve protecting member, and the pump unit being provided with asuitable actuating handle.

It further consists of other novel features of construction all as willbe hereinafter fully set forth.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown in theaccompanying drawings but one form thereof, since this embodiment hasgiven satisfactory and reliable results in practice and is at presentpreferred by me, although it is to be understood that the variousinstrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variouslyarranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to theprecise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities asherein set forth.

Figure 1 represents an elevation partly in section of a pneumaticpumping apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a sideelevation of the pump unit in detached position, certain parts thereofbeing broken away in order to more clearly show certain details ofconstruction. Fig. 3 represents a bottom plan view of a portion of thepump unit showing more especially the contact plates.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in thefigures.

Referring to the drawings: in my copending application for portablepneumatic pumping apparatus, hereinbefore referred to, I have describedand broadly claimed a novel construction of a pumping apparatus whereinthe pumping mechanism is located within a pump casing to divide the sameinto a vacuum compartment and a pressure compartment and wherein themovable member of the pump is directly connected with the motor, and inmy present device I show for purposes of illustration,- a constructionsimilar to many thousands now on the market and in practical use,wherein the pump and motor form a concrete structure which may bereadily insertedinto and removed from the pump casing.

l designates a pump base which if desired may be provided in anysuitable manner with rollers 2, preferably mounted in antifrictiondevices whereby the pump can be readily moved from one location toanother.

3 designates an outer shell having any desired contour, although in thepresent instance I have preferred to show the same as being cylindrical.

' 4 designates an inner shell which is carried by the base 1 andintermediate the inner shell 4 and the outer shell 3 are located anydesired number of layers of sound-deadening material 5 such as forexample, felt, it being noted that the sounddeadening material issecured in position in the present instance in such a manner as to forman air space 6 between the inner layer of sound-deadening material andthe inner shell 4. I preferably also employ an intermediate shell 7which in the present instance I have shown as being located betweenthetwo layersof sound-deadening material 5.

8 designates brackets secured to the outer shell 3 in any suitablemanner, said brackets having pivoted thereto the threaded rods 9 whichlatter are adapted to enter the slotted projections 10 so that by theemployment of suitable thumb screws or their equivalents 11, the cover12 may be properly secured with respect to the casing, which latter aswill be evident is composed of the outer shell 3, the inner shell 4, theintermediate shell 7, and the layers of sounddeadening material 5. Thecover 12 is provided with a suitable handle 13 whereby the pump may bereadily transported fro one place to another.

The outer shell 3, the inner shell 4 and the intermediate shell 7 arebroken away or inwardly deflected to form a recess 14 within which iscontained a switch 15, it being seen that the Wires 16 pass through theinsulating tube 17 carried by the casing,

one of the wires 18 leading to the switch 15 and therefrom to a contactmember 19 which is supported in any suitable manner, preferably on aresilient support 20 carried by the base 1, the other wire 21 leading tothe contact member 22 which latter is also suitably supported on theresilient cushion 20.

23 designates my novel construction of pump unit, the same comprisingthe motor casing 24 within which is located an electric motor, the shaft25 of which is journaledin ball bearings 26 carried by the side pieces27 and 28 of the motor casing.

29 designates eccentrics mounted on the motor shaft 25 on opposite sidesof the motor, said eccentrics having mounted thereon the connecting rods30, it being understood from Fig. 2, that antifriction devices such asthe ball bearings 31 are interposed between the eccentrics 29'and theconnecting rods 30.

32 designates counterbalances adjustably mounted on the shaft 25 inproximity to the eccentrics 29. The motor casing 24 is provided withlugs 33 on which are seated the side hangers 34, suitable fasteningdevices 35 being provided for securing said hangers to the lugs 33. Thehangers 34 are connected with and preferably integral with an annulus 36to which latter is secured by means of fastening devices 37 the casing38 which forms the upper portion of the pulsation chamber 39. The upperportion ofthe casing 38 is provided with lugs 40 on which is mounted avalve protector 41 which is shown as consisting of an apertured memberwhich is secured to the lugs 40 by suitable fastening devices 42. 4

43 designates a handle which is. secured to certain of the lugs 40 bymeans of suitable fastening devices 44. The casing 38 has at one end aspider 45 thereby forming an inlet port which is controlled by means ofa valve disk 47 secured in place by means of a suitable fastening device48, a washer 49 being provided on one side of the valve 47 and a washer50 being provided on the opposite side of the valve 47 inorder to givethe valve the requisite stiffness, it being noted that the outerperiphery of the valve 47 is adapted to seat against the dependingflange 51 carried by the casing 38.

52 designates a follower head to which is connected by means of suitablefastening device 53 the connecting rods 30. The follower head 52 isprovided with a valve controlled port 54 therethrough which iscontrolled by means of a valve 55 centrally supported by means of asuitable fastening device 56, it being seen from Fig. 1 that is securedto the inner shell 4 by means of suitable fastening devices 60, theupper face of said member in proximity to the shell being suitablyrecessed in order to receive a rubber or other gasket 61 on which theannular member 36 is adapted to be seated when the pump unit is insertedin place within the casing. The member 60 is provided with thereinforced flange 62 through which passes the screws 63, the same beingheld in position by means of the cotter pins 64, the upper end' of thescrews being adapted to pass through apertures in the members 36 and 38and to receive the screws 65 whereby the pump unit is properly securedwith respect to the annular member 59.

66 designates the diaphragm, the outer periphery of which is securedbetween the members 36 and 38 by means of the fastening devices 37, theinner periphery of said diaphragms being secured to the follower head 52by means of the washer 67 and the fastening devices 68. When the pumpunit has been inserted into the casing the contact 69 will engage withthe contact 22 while the contact 70 will engage with the contact 19sothat the roper electric connection with the motor is provided. Whenthe pump unit is located within the casing the pump thereof completelyseparates the same into a vacuum reservoir 71 and a pressure reservoir72, the motor being located in the pressure reservoir.

Owing to the provision of the U-shaped gasket 73 an air tight joint isformed between the cover and the casing. The dust laden air entersthrough the inlet 74 which is adapted to be connected in any suitablemanner with a suction hose, the dust laden air passing into-the vacuumcompartment 71 wherein the dust and foreign material is separated fromthe air by means of the filtering mechanism 75, the air passing throughthe inlet 46, controlled by the valve 47, into the pumping chamber 39,thence through the outlet port 54 from t-he'pumping chamber into thepressiire compartment 72 and thence through the mufiler 7 6 to thedischarge port 77 and to the atmosphere.

I wish to call particular attention to the novel construction and mannerof assembling my device since the pump and motor form a unit structurewhich is provided with a suitable handle whereby the same can be readilyremoved from or inserted into the casing. \Vhen it is desired to takeapart the device it it simply necessary to manipulate the fasteningdevices 11 whereupon the cover 12 may be removed, the filter mechanismtaken out and then by simply actuating the fastening devices 65 the pumpunit 23 may be bodily removed from the casing by means of the handle 43.It will also be apparent that when the pump unit is inserted in thecasing owing to the provision of the contact members 19 and 22 theproper electric connection will always be maintained between the motorand the wires leading to the casing.

In my present construction-I have wholly obviated the necessity ofemploying any kind of a relief valve since the pulsation chamber 39 isso proportioned with respect to the vacuum reservoir 71 and the pressurereservoir 72 and there is no danger of the motor being overloaded andthe entire amount of air displaced by the-pumping mechanism must passthrough the inlet 7 4, with consequent saving of efiiciency. It willalso be apparent that in my present construction when the cleaningnozzle is being applied to a heavy tightly woven carpet a small quantityof air can be pulled through the carpet at a high vacuum and in case thefabric to be cleaned is somewhat open a large volume of air will besupplied at a small vacuum so that in all cases met with in practice thepumping mechanism will have a very high eflieiency.

It is essential in devices of this character that they be constructed insuch a manner that they do not easily get out of order and so that noaccidents may arise in cases where they are taken apart or assembled byunskilled operators and in my present construction there is nopossibility of anyone becoming injured in any manner. Furthermore thereis no danger of anyone injuring or becoming injured by the valves sincethe upper valve is properly protected by means of the apertured member41, the latter also serving as a support for the bottom of the filteringmechanism. I

It is to be noted that in the present application, in a manner similarto that already shown in my prior application to which I havehereinbefore referred, I show a direct connection between the motor andthe pumping mechanism, since I employ a one-piece connecting rodpreferably made out of pressed steel, one end of the rod being mountedon the eccentric carried by the motor shaft, while the opposite endthereof is rigidly secured to the movable member of the pumpingmechanism.

I have deemed it necessary in the present instance to describe in detailthe novel construction of the pump casing, whereby the pumping apparatuswill be practically noiseless when in operation, since the same formsthe subject matter of another application and forms per 36 no part ofthe operating mechanism of the pump.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel construction of apumping apparatus which embodies the features of advantage enumerated asdesirable in the foregoing and while I have, in the present instance,shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof, which in practicegives very satisfactory results, it is to be understood that the same issusceptible of modifications in various particulars Without de partingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of itsadvantages.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I. claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a vacuum cleaner the cor'nbinationof a casing having a ringsecured intermediate its ends to the interior thereof, a pump and motorconnected together both as to their stationary and as to their movableelements,

and supported from the ring and also capa-.

ble of removal from the casing as a unit.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination of a casing having an internalring secured intermediate its ends, a pump and motor connected togetherboth as to their stationary parts and movable parts, and supported fromsaid ring, a packing between the movable unit and the ring whereby thecasing is divided into a suction and pressure chamber.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination of a cylindrical casing havingan internal shoulder intermediate its ends, a pump circular in planresting upon said ring and forming therewith a division of the casing, amotor secured to and depending from the pump and driving the displacingelementthereof.

JOHN SMITH.

lVitnesses F. A. RAUTENBERG 7 Gr. C. ARMSTRONG.

